I eat out A LOT. And sometimes the low carb restaurant choices are just plain limited.
Today I had lunch with my good friend @GinaParris at the O’Charleys in Manchester, TN – which is one of our favorite spots to get together and brainstorm our online business strategies.
When I first started eating low carb, I had to consult the Nutrition Facts for any restaurant I was visiting.
But now I have it figured out well enough to order easily.
Still, I love having my smart phone on hand to Google things or download the Nutrition Fact sheets on the go.
Given how much I eat out – particularly when traveling – I get bored with the usual low carb restaurant choices.
Namely steamed broccoli and caesar salad. Blah. Great foods mind you, unless you eat them every day for awhile. LOL…
A New Twist on Boring Old Broccoli
Something I’d never thought of before, which was suggested by my brilliant mom, is to order your broccoli “loaded” – like you would a baked potato. (see photo above)
OMG. It was totally smothered in butter, sour cream, bacon and cheese… and it was HEAVEN!
If you haven’t tried this as one of *your* low carb restaurant choices, I highly recommend it.
Your choice of sides when eating out is usually: carb, carb, carb, super carb, carb, broccoli.
Next time you order the broccoli on the side, get it loaded. 😀
This looks amazing Lynn! I would have never thought to do this either! I am so going to O’Charley’s for lunch today just to have this!!
I’ve had it a few times now. Love it!! Did you get a chance to try it, Natalie?
I did and I LOVE it!! I was awesome! I also tried it at Outback. It was not nearly as good as it was at O’Charley’s.
I think I might go there tonight … π
O’Charleys is awesome. I so love their cedar plank salmon. Yum! They have great prime rib too!!
That looks a lot better than just steamed broccoli. This would be awesome with cauliflower as well!
True! But then… what *wouldn’t* be good smothered in bacon, butter, cheese & sour cream?! LOL π
How do you count the carbs in that? I a just starting today, but we eat out a lot?
Hi Kathy,
I always look up nutrition facts on the restaurant website, that way I know for sure what I’m eating and decide what I’m going to order before I even go.
As for how to count the carbs when you add things like sour cream and bacon to a special order, I often enter my restaurant meals by individual foods when I log/track that meal.
So : a grilled chicken breast, 1/4 an avocado, 2 tbsp sour cream, etc – whatever you eat. Just enter it as close as you can get to the amounts.
Why not? Lynn Terry?
Gives “getting loaded” a whole new meaning! LOL
LOL GiGi π
I’m a teacher and my favorite school lunch used to be baked potato and broccoli. When I started low carb I just got broccoli and topped it with the ham, cheese, butter , and sour cream everyone else was putting on their potatoes. It is the next best thing to a loaded potato!!
I agree – and delicious!! π
The only caveat to this broccoli loaded plan is that at least with plain broccoli you know what you’re getting. Restaurants try to save money by using products that resemble sour cream, cheese, and sometimes even bacon. But these products are not real and have very problematic ingredients. So try your best to determine whether your favorite restaurant is using real ingredients. If so, then get “real loaded”!
That’s true, Chris. I don’t worry too much over the little details when I’m eating out. BUT on days when I know I’m going to eat out, I eat “super clean” otherwise – just to be on the safe side. I prefer my Daisy Brand products (real food, less ingredients) and “real cheese” that I use at home. But when you’re eating out, you’ll do best to go with what you can and eat as healthy as you can… vs ordering some really unhealthy dish “just because” you’re eating out. π
Omg that lozozkzs awesome. I will have to try it
agree!!
I started low carb this past Monday and here it is Friday and I am pleasantly surprised at the weight I have lost. Feeling confident that I can do this.